Campus Construction Update for Dec. 14

These are among the construction activities scheduled Dec. 14-20 at the University of Wyoming.

Fire Alarm Testing -- Annual fire alarm testing of campus facilities is scheduled to continue through Jan. 16. Intermittent alarms will sound throughout various building locations while devices are being tested. Schedules will be sent to building contacts for notification of test dates and times. Signs will be posted before testing takes place.

Snow Removal -- Physical Plant crews will remove snow as needed throughout the season. Watch for snow removal equipment, be careful and safe during snow events, and call the Service Desk, 766-6225, to report ice spots and problem areas.

The UW Facilities Planning Office reports the following activities for the period:

Michael B. Enzi STEM Facility (General contractor AP Wyoming, Cheyenne; Lewis Street between 10th and 11th streets; scheduled completion May 2015) -- Please note that this project is being managed and administered by the State Construction Office. The intersection of 11th and Lewis is open for pedestrian and vehicle traffic. There will be minor utility work to complete steam line and stormwater work in the intersection of 11th and Lewis streets. With the arrival of winter, asphalt will not be available for patching, and street repair work will be limited to gravel fill to match the elevation of the adjacent asphalt.

Construction activity on site is increasing as the building is starting to be enclosed. Structural steel work is nearly complete. It is expected that the crane will be removed before Christmas. Building enclosure is proceeding on the west, south and north with sheathing and masonry work. Roof work is complete on the west and is proceeding on the east and penthouse. Installation of curtain wall and glass will start as weather permits. Temporary enclosure is underway on the west portion of the building to facilitate winter work as the wall systems are being constructed. Construction of interior walls is continuing on all floors in conjunction with the rough-in of mechanical and electrical systems. Watch for construction traffic on Lewis, 10th, 11th and Bradley streets. For safety, pedestrians should make eye contact with equipment operators and delivery drivers outside the fenced area so they are aware of their presence. There will be equipment moving materials from storage to site. You can visit the webcam here.

Half Acre Gymnasium Addition and Renovation (General contractor Groathouse Construction Inc., Cody; scheduled completion of Phase 1, east reconstruction/addition, Jan. 20, 2015; Phase 2, historic west renovation, spring 2015) -- Full project information is available here. Construction progress can be observed via the project webcam here. Half Acre Gymnasium remains open and accessible via the west entrance. The day lot parking area and roadway immediately east of Half Acre Gymnasium are closed. Temporary day-use parking has been established in the lot east of the Wyoming Union.

Construction and staging areas north, south and east of the existing building have been established and are closed to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic, except that which is construction related. Access to Prexy’s Pasture from the east Wyoming Union parking lot between Half Acre and the Wyoming Union is closed until further notice. Please use alternate routes through the Wyoming Union or between the Union and Coe Library. Heavy truck traffic, including construction materials transport, concrete trucks and other haulers, will be frequent on Willett Drive west of 15th Street and along the perimeter of the Wyoming Union parking lot. Temporary traffic controls and signs are either in place or will be established as needed by specific site activities.

Phase 1 east reconstruction/addition construction is now focused on interior finish and/or preparatory work for finishes in all areas. Drywall finishing, specialty plaster, priming and painting, ceiling systems, tile and specialty flooring, casework and building specialties, and building systems work are progressing on all floors. Though the exterior building enclosure has been “dried-in” for a number of weeks as is necessary to facilitate interior finish work, exterior building finish work -- primarily stone and brick masonry -- continues from south to east to north. Specialty building equipment, including climbing wall/pinnacle components, are in process toward final installation. Building HVAC start-up is pending as necessary to begin conditioning of spaces in preparation for temperature- and moisture-dependent finish work. Subgrade exterior site work is generally complete, allowing hardscape and non-weather-dependent landscaping to proceed as weather allows.

Pedestrian pathways north of Half Acre Gymnasium between Prexy’s Pasture and Willett Drive remain open; however, the continuing construction in this vicinity will result in increased congestion. Willett Drive west of 15th Street and south of Wyoming Hall has reopened to normal traffic. Site improvement work along the south perimeter of Willett Drive will continue. Site improvement work will impact portions of the parking lot east of the Wyoming Union through Dec. 31. Normal vehicular access to the parking lot will remain open; however, construction work along the north perimeter of this lot will require some temporary detours in that area. Temporary traffic controls and signs will be established as needed by specific site activities. Please observe all posted traffic control, construction signs and temporary flagging in the affected areas.

Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center:

-- Spruce Court (General contractor Arcon Inc., Laramie) -- Substantial completion is pending.

-- Exhibits (Designer: Ozark Museum of Natural History, Cedar Creek, Mo.) -- Installation of museum-style exhibits throughout the building is scheduled to begin Jan. 5, 2015.  

Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts (General contractor Sampson Construction, Cheyenne; Fine Arts Building renovation and expansion; scheduled completion March 2015) -- The parking lot on the east side of the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts is closed and is being used for construction staging. Building visitors should use the parking lot on the north side of the building. Those entering the Performing Arts Center must now enter through the doors on the building’s west side. This will be the entrance for all building operations, including classes, ticket purchases and performances, until construction is complete.

The parking lot south of the building is partially closed through December/early January for new sanitary and storm sewer pipe installation. Masonry stone work is ongoing on the east side. Exterior glazing will continue on the east side for the next two to three weeks. Interior framing/drywall/taping, rough-in plumbing, duct work and electrical work are ongoing. Interior painting and floor/wall tile installation have begun. The northwest addition drywall installation and taping is nearly complete, and exterior masonry is complete. Work in the existing building is ongoing, with display boards, curtains, acoustic wall panels, AV and carpeting ongoing. Heavy truck traffic will be frequent near War Memorial Fieldhouse, 22nd Street and Willett Drive, and along the road west of the College of Law Building.

Biological Sciences Building Mechanical Modifications (General contractor Independent Heating and Sheet Metal, Laramie) -- Final roof installation will begin Dec. 22. Animals are moved back into the Vivarium.

ESCo Project (Long Energy Solutions, Casper) -- Engineering air distribution and control work is nearly complete. Exhaust upgrades will continue for one more week in the penthouse. Punch lists have been issued.

The UW Physical Plant has 290 projects in progress valued at more than $40.7 million. Following is a list of ongoing construction activities in areas of campus that may impact you:

General Storage -- Distribution upgrades are scheduled for Dec. 13-14. There will be no power to the entire building during this period. Building occupants have been notified.

Visual Arts (UW Physical Plant) -- Crews will be removing sheetrock from the southwest end of the second floor to investigate the source of a cold draft. Please use caution near workers and equipment in this area.

Pharmacy (UW Physical Plant, January 2015) -- Painting of restrooms on all floors will begin Dec. 15. Bathrooms will be closed during maintenance operations.   

Aven Nelson (UW Physical Plant, January 2015) -- Painting of restrooms on all floors will begin Dec. 15. Bathrooms will be closed during maintenance operations.

Fieldhouse North (Elk Ridge Builders & Design, Laramie, December 2014) -- The wrestling lounge wall is scheduled to be installed Dec. 18-19. Please be aware of crews and equipment in the area.

Tennis Facility (Trident Electric, Laramie, December 2014) -- Installation of two exterior lights is scheduled to begin. Construction crews will be trenching and erecting two light poles on the west side of the building near the entrance. Please use caution near crews and equipment.

Wyoming State Vet Lab (Mullen’s Heating Inc., Laramie, December 2014) – Energy-efficiency and air-quality upgrades to the air-handling units are scheduled the week of Dec. 15. Building occupants may notice periodic interruptions to air flow within the building.

East Campus Electrical Distribution Center (Rocky Mountain Power, Laramie, December 2014) -- Rocky Mountain Power crews will be working on the overhead feed for east campus. No electrical outages are required, and work is scheduled to be complete Dec. 22. Trucks will be located close to the 19th and Willett intersection. Please use caution near this area.

Education Annex West Stairwell (General Contractor, Arcon Inc., Laramie, scheduled completion February 15, 2015) -- The west stairwell will be remodeled to match the east stairwell, including an upgrade to energy-efficient lighting. Demolition of the existing wall-mount rail and stair treads is underway. The west stairwell will be closed except for emergency exiting. Please be aware of crews and equipment in the area.

Spanish Walk, River Village and Landmark Apartments (UW Physical Plant, January 2015) -- Maintenance work will be ongoing throughout the winter break in various buildings of the apartment complexes. Please use caution near crews and equipment.

Wyoming Union (UW Physical Plant, January 2015) -- Renovations to Rolling Mill Café and CJ’s convenience store will begin Dec. 22 and continue through Jan. 16. Rolling Mill and CJ’s will be closed for the duration of the renovation. Please use caution near crews and equipment.

Student Health (Commercial Flooring, Cheyenne, January 2015) -- Flooring renovations will begin Dec. 22 and will continue through Jan. 19. Corridors may be closed for a short time. Please use caution around crews.

Information Technology Center (Encore Electric, Englewood, June 2015) -- Improvements to the UPS System are underway. Work will be mainly above the ceiling space on the first floor, east side of the building. Local coordination will be via Jerome Lindsey. Please use caution near crews and equipment.

Downey Hall (Wyoming Sealants, Saratoga, December 2014) -- Caulking on the northeast corner of the building is complete.

1217 Lewis Street Apartments (Summit Trucking and House Moving, May 2015) -- The apartments at 1217 Lewis St. are being deconstructed. Asbestos remediation for the interior of the foundation structure has been completed. Additional abatement will coincide with excavation for demolition. The top portion of the apartments will be moved off site, the remaining foundation demolished and the site cleared and leveled. The project is scheduled to be substantially complete by May 1, 2015. Please use caution near this area.

Visual Arts Building (General contractor D.C. Drilling LLC, Lusk; scheduled completion December 2014) -- Well construction is complete between the Centennial Complex and the Visual Arts Building. Well testing, site grading and cleanup, and demobilization will occur the week of Dec. 15. The southern half of the Visual Arts parking lot will remain blocked off. Please use caution near equipment in the area.

Energy Innovation Center (General Contractor Arcon Inc., Laramie, December 2014) -- Work to install a new floor sink is complete.

Lewis Street (Mechanical Systems Inc., Cheyenne, June 2015) -- Lewis Street will remain closed from 10th Street to 11th Street. Excavation work is suspended until spring. Portions of Lewis Street and the main drive in Greenhill Cemetery will be barricaded temporarily for ongoing work in vaults. 

Health Sciences Building (Stonehouse Inc., Laramie, November 2014) -- Foundation waterproofing and installation of the perimeter drain are complete. Backfill and stormwater surface grate installation are complete. Work to prepare the area will begin early the week of Dec. 15, and placement of concrete will occur Dec. 17-18. Traffic control barricades will be relocated to open the walk path and entryways before winter break. Please be cautious around traffic control barricades and fencing.

Health Sciences (UW Physical Plant, January 2015) -- Work will continue through January to renovate Room 483 to create three additional rooms. Construction of walls, electrical and plumbing work will be ongoing. Please use caution near work areas.

Ross Hall -- Painting of bathroom stalls is complete.

Engineering Building (General contractor Independent Heating and Sheet Metal, Laramie; scheduled completion December 2014) -- Air management and digital control upgrades to improve building efficiency are substantially complete. Air balancing and commissioning will continue through December.

Grand Avenue (UW Physical Plant, December 2014) -- Lighting work will continue through early December as remediation from the street expansion project is completed.